Sony RX100 III Comparison Review

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III is a fixed lens compact camera that was announced in May 2014 and is equipped with an one-inch sensor. It offers a resolution of 20 megapixel.

Is the Sony RX100 III a good camera? The RX100 III has a Camera Elo of 1973. This rating puts the RX100 III below average of all travel zoom compact cameras. In terms of its sensor size category (one inch cameras), the RX100 III also ranks below average. Based on its within category standings, the camera earns a 2.5-star performance rating. – Well, the Sony RX100 III is more than 9 years old, and there have been many other good digital cameras released since 2014.

Read on to find out more about the camera's size, sensor, features, reception by expert reviewers, and how it compares to other digital cameras.

Body comparison with a credit card

An illustration of the physical dimensions of the Sony RX100 III vis-à-vis a credit card is provided in the side-by-side display below. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are presented. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the Sony RX100 III alongside a set of similar cameras. If you want to review a particular camera pair side-by-side, just move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible comparisons there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Sony RX100 III	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	290 g	320	n	May 2014	799	ebay.com
2.		Canon G5 X	112 mm	76 mm	44 mm	353 g	210	n	Oct 2015	799	ebay.com
3.		Canon G7 X	103 mm	60 mm	40 mm	304 g	210	n	Sep 2014	699	ebay.com
4.		Panasonic FZ1000	137 mm	99 mm	131 mm	831 g	360	n	Jun 2014	899	ebay.com
5.		Ricoh GR II	117 mm	63 mm	35 mm	251 g	320	n	Jun 2015	699	ebay.com
6.		Ricoh GR	117 mm	61 mm	35 mm	245 g	290	n	Apr 2013	799	ebay.com
7.		Sony RX100 V	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	299 g	220	n	Oct 2016	999	ebay.com
8.		Sony RX100 IV	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	298 g	280	n	Jun 2015	999	ebay.com
9.		Sony A5000	110 mm	63 mm	36 mm	269 g	420	n	Jan 2014	449	ebay.com
10.		Sony A5100	110 mm	63 mm	36 mm	283 g	400	n	Aug 2014	549	ebay.com
11.		Sony RX100 II	102 mm	58 mm	38 mm	281 g	350	n	Jun 2013	749	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

The listed prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The Sony RX100 III was launched in the US market at a price of $799. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Check RX100 III offers at
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Sensor comparison with a 35mm slide

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

The Sony RX100 III features an one-inch sensor and has a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 2.7. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the Sony RX100 III among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of alternative cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Sony RX100 III	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.4	12.3	495	67
2.		Canon G5 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.4	12.3	471	62
3.		Canon G7 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	23.0	12.7	556	71
4.		Panasonic FZ1000	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.1	11.7	517	64
5.		Ricoh GR II	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.6	13.7	1078	80
6.		Ricoh GR	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.6	13.5	972	78
7.		Sony RX100 V	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.8	12.4	586	70
8.		Sony RX100 IV	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.8	12.6	591	70
9.		Sony A5000	APS-C	19.8	5456	3632	1080/60i	23.8	13.0	1089	79
10.		Sony A5100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.8	12.7	1347	80
11.		Sony RX100 II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.5	12.4	483	67

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The RX100 III indeed provides movie recording capabilities. The highest resolution format that the RX100 III can use is 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the RX100 III has an electronic viewfinder with a resolution of 1440k dots. The viewfinder offers a field of view of 100% and a magnification of 0.59x. The tables below summarize some of the other core capabilities of the Sony RX100 III in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Sony RX100 III	1440	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Canon G5 X	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/2000s	5.9/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon G7 X	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	6.5/s	Y	Y
4.		Panasonic FZ1000	2359	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
5.		Ricoh GR II	optional	n	3.0 / 1230	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
6.		Ricoh GR	optional	n	3.0 / 1230	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
7.		Sony RX100 V	2359	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	24.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Sony RX100 IV	2359	n	3.0 / 1228	tilting	n	1/2000s	16.0/s	Y	Y
9.		Sony A5000	none	n	3.0 / 461	tilting	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	Y	n
10.		Sony A5100	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
11.		Sony RX100 II	optional	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
Notes: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The LCD screen on the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III is flexibly attached to the body. In particular, the LCD can be tilted vertically to facilitate odd-angle shots in landscape orientation. This tilting design is often preferred, for example, by street photographers to a fully articulated, swivel type of LCD attachment, as it is more unobtrusive during shooting than a screen that flips out to the side.

One convenient feature of the RX100 III is the presence of an on-board flash. While this built-in flash is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light to brighten deep shadow areas.

Connection comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Sony RX100 III	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
2.		Canon G5 X	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
3.		Canon G7 X	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Panasonic FZ1000	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Ricoh GR II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Ricoh GR	Y	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Sony RX100 V	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Sony RX100 IV	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Sony A5000	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Sony A5100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Sony RX100 II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the RX100 III offers wifi support. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.

The RX100 III has a zoom lens built in (8.8-25.7mm f/1.8-2.8), which, in full frame equivalent terms, provides a focal length range from 24 to 70mm. The camera is, hence, ready to shoot, while remaining more compact in size than an interchangeable lens camera with an optic that offers similar focal length and aperture specifications.

Further information on the features and operation of the RX100 III can be found in the free online Sony RX100 III Manual or on the Sony support site.

Expert reviews

While the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it says nothing about, for example, the handling, responsiveness, and overall imaging quality of the RX100 III in practical situations. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate. This is why expert reviews are important. The adjacent table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]).

Review Scores

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Sony RX100 III	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2014	799	ebay.com
2.		Canon G5 X	5/5	+ +	..	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2015	799	ebay.com
3.		Canon G7 X	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	699	ebay.com
4.		Panasonic FZ1000	4/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2014	899	ebay.com
5.		Ricoh GR II	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2015	699	ebay.com
6.		Ricoh GR	5/5	..	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2013	799	ebay.com
7.		Sony RX100 V	4.5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4/5	4.5/5	Oct 2016	999	ebay.com
8.		Sony RX100 IV	4.5/5	+ +	..	85/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jun 2015	999	ebay.com
9.		Sony A5000	3/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2014	449	ebay.com
10.		Sony A5100	4.5/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2014	549	ebay.com
11.		Sony RX100 II	5/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2013	749	ebay.com
Notes: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

Check RX100 III offers at
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Camera to camera comparisons

If you would like to see a side-by-side review with another camera, just use the search menu below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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